HEARD ON AIR

You can now listen to south african radio via the Internet, no matter where you are in the world!
I listen to 702, very good for what's going on. www.702.co.za
also 5FM www.5fm.co.za and goodhopeFM I like. www.goodhopefm.co.za
I've also got cape-talk and MFM.

PROTEA

South Africa's national flower, the king protea, can grow to about 12 inches (30 centimetres) across.

TWO HEADS

a welder of Wellington, Western Cape, discovered in his backyard this strange newcomer hatched from an egg amongst his pet tortoises.
Daniel's is the owner of seven tortoises, as terrestrial turtles are commonly known. They live with his parrots and pigeons in a dovecote. The strange tortoise's shell is flat underneath and not rounded at the belly as usual, he says.
The two heads are joined separately to a shared body.
"But it seems quite normal and both heads feed on grass, leaves, and softened rabbit pellets," Daniel's said. "When it gets scared, however, the heads move in different directions as if confused. Sometimes its legs also want to move in different directions. Luckily, it moves quite slowly. There seems to be enough time to figure out which way to go."
The month-old tortoise's shell is about five centimetres (two inches) wide.

TABLE MOUNTAIN

The Cableway is celebrating its 75th anniversary (oct 2004) with a present of a free trip up Table Mountain to all South African adults on their birthday, for the next year. Present your ID book on the DAY that you celebrate your birthday and you will get one free return ticket to enjoy. The promotion ends 30th September 2005 and is valid for adults only.

More than 15 million have visited South Africa's top tourism icon. The first cable car could only transport 20 passengers at a time, whilst the cable car now takes up 67 passengers in three minutes, giving a full 360 degree view of the city and the mountains with a special rotating platform inside the cable car.

Blue Flag status 7 October 2004

Clifton's 4th Beach, Grotto Beach and Mnandi Beach have been awarded Blue Flag status, the equivalent to a five star rating for beaches internationally.

Environmental protection, cleanliness, lifesaving facilities and security are all taken into consideration.

Beaches in Camps Bay, Muizenberg, Strandfontein and Gordon's Bay will run as pilot sites with the view to receiving Blue Flag status in 2005.

Marley's fans gather in Ethiopia

Thousands of Rastafarian's and music fans are gathering in Ethiopia to begin a month of events to mark what would have been Bob Marley's 60th birthday in early february. It is the first time the annual celebrations are being held outside the reggae legend's native Jamaica.

Ethiopia was chosen because Rastafarian's regard the late Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie as their spiritual leader. "It was a dream of Bob Marley and it is a dream of the family to bury him in Ethiopia. As we believe in what is to be, must be, it will happen in due course,"

Marcus Garvey
"Bob Marley put Ethiopia on a pedestal and it is in his honour that this festival is going to take place here,"

Under the banner Africa Unite, the month-long events will include concerts, open air festival, a film festival, seminars and a gala fundraiser. They will kick off on Tuesday evening with a concert by the late singer's 80-year-old mother, Cedella Marley Booker. A highlight will be a concert in the capital, Addis Ababa, on 6 February - Marley's birthday - featuring three of Marley's children as well as Quincy Jones, Baaba Maal, Youssou N'Dour and Angelique Kidjo.

Aged 36, Marley died of cancer in 1981 and was buried with his Gibson guitar and Bible beside him.

Great White Sharks

White Shark Ecoventures invites you cage diving with great white sharks in the aptly named "Shark Alley", near the fishing village of Gansbaai.

Getting into the cage with the sharks around, is truly the most breath-taking experience you will ever live to remember. When feeding actively around the boat, the sharks may occasionally brush their tail against the cage, but NEVER attack the cage. They are very curious though and often come close-up to the cage, taking a closer look at the diver. A personal, eye-to-eye encounter with this awesome animal, is guaranteed to get the adrenaline going!

KHAYELITSHA

Khayelitsha is South Africa's fastest growing township, and is one of Cape Town's leading tourist destinations. The impression from the outside is pretty grim - many shacks line the outskirts and give no indication of the vibrant culture within. But the government has implemented many housing projects and every day more and more families are moving into permanent houses.

It is recommended to take a guided tour as many guides have built up relationships with the township residents and often are residents themselves, able to take you to the most interesting places.

South African film wins Golden Bear in Berlin

The first South African film to be selected for the competition in 25 years, U-Carmen eKhayelitsha is a unique interpretation of Bizet's opera set in the township of Khayelitsha and performed in Xhosa (the 'click' language). "It is a great day for Khayelitsha," said Dornford-May. "To say that we are ecstatic would be an understatement. The idea of setting and filming the world's most popular opera in Xhosa in a South African township seemed mad at the time - it still seems mad now - but it was an amazing experience for everyone involved and it is a delight beyond words to know that an international audience can appreciate what is for us such a very personal and local triumph."